Lies at a Funeral

At my father's funeral, my fiancé proposed to my father’s illegitimate daughter in public and released a video of their passionate lovemaking.

I became a laughingstock, ridiculed by the entire elite circle of Wildore.

In my fury, my fiancé's older brother, Edward, appeared and drove the two of them out of the funeral.

He knelt on one knee and proposed to me, saying he would be my lifelong support and protect me from all harm.

I accepted him.

***

Three years later…

A week before our wedding, I accidentally overheard his conversation with his lawyer.

"Mr. Granville, there are other ways to take over the Thornton Family. Isn’t marrying Miss Hazel just too risky? Why must you involve yourself like this?"

"Only by marrying her will Hazel let down her guard. Florence just wants to rightfully inherit the Thornton Family. If I have to involve myself, so be it. For her, I’m willing to do anything."

The salvation I once believed in was nothing more than a meticulously crafted deception and the marriage I had awaited for three years was merely another endless grave.

If that’s the case, then I might as well grant them their wish.

——

In the study, Edward held the share transfer agreement in his hands, smiling with deep devotion.

"Mrs. Thornton is seriously ill. Before she dies, Hazel will definitely insist on having her at the wedding. Once she passes away, the Thornton Family will crumble. At that time, Hazel will have no choice but to ask me for help. That will be my perfect moment to strike."

"Is the agreement ready? Make sure nothing goes wrong. The Thornton Family must fall entirely into my hands! Once I clear all obstacles, I’ll hand the company over to Florence."

The lawyer beside him glanced at the table full of agreements, his expression filled with reluctance.

"Florence is just an illegitimate daughter. Isn't this too cruel to Miss Hazel? Over the past three years, she has already fallen in love with you. If she finds out that your marriage was only to help an illegitimate daughter seize the family assets, you two…"

Before he could finish speaking, Edward cut him off coldly.

"Enough. I’ve said it before. Florence is the second daughter of the Thornton Family. If I hear the words ‘illegitimate daughter’ again, you can consider yourself unemployed!"

"Marrying Hazel is also a form of compensation. Even without the Thornton Family, she still has me. Her life won’t be difficult."

"My younger brother has always loved competing with me. Now, Florence chose him. So, as his older brother, I’ll clear the path for them. As long as they’re happy, it doesn’t matter what happens to me…"

The lawyer let out a long sigh and nodded helplessly. "Alright, I’ll go over the agreement again. I just hope… you won’t regret this."

"By the way, make sure to delete the video you had played at the funeral three years ago. Don’t let Miss Hazel find out," Edward reminded.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching. I hurriedly retreated to my room in a panic.

The hot tea in my hand spilled onto me, yet I felt nothing but an overwhelming chill.

It turned out that the video publicly played at my father’s funeral wasn't Arthur’s doing at all.

It was all orchestrated by his so-called righteous older brother, the one who had disguised himself as my savior.

Back then, when my fiancé, Arthur, abandoned me, I became a laughingstock at my father’s funeral.

Edward’s arrival wasn’t to save me or give me happiness. He had only come to deliver the final blow.

I thought of my mother, who entrusted me to him in her final moments.

Back then, he had sworn to take care of me, making promises with such a convincing perfect act.

All these years, I had trusted him to help manage my company, never realizing that every step was a calculated move to pave the way for Florence.

And like a fool, I cherished his so-called love, proudly believing I had found happiness.

How ridiculous.

The sound of a door closing echoed as the lawyer took his leave.

Edward rushed over in a panic, cupping my face and pressing a kiss on my forehead.

His eyes, tinged with the haze of alcohol, were filled with distress.

"Why are you standing at the door?"

"It’s nothing. I wanted to bring you some tea but accidentally spilled it."